Devotions

“We, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” (Romans 12:5). By faith, we are the very members of Christ’s body, adopted into one family. There is no longer black, white, yellow, brown, Jew or Gentile. We are all of one blood — one new man — in Christ Jesus! And because of Christ’s work on the cross, man couldn’t become holy by good works, righteous deeds, human effort or strivings of the flesh.

“Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace” (Ephesians 2:15). Only one man would be accepted by the Father: the new, resurrected man. And when this new man presented to his Father all who had faith in him, the Father responded, “I receive you all as holy, because you are in my holy son!”

We have been sealed by the Holy Spirit. “That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ … In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:10, 13). So you see, holiness is not something we do, or attain, or work up. Rather, it is something we believe! The path to holiness is not through human ability but through faith.

God’s message about holiness isn’t about outward things. It is about faith—and he makes it very clear and simple. This is his wonderful answer to the anxious cries of multitudes of Christians who thirst for the understanding of how to be holy. We are holy as we rest in his holiness!

Beloved, put off all reliance on the flesh and make this your declaration: “I claim my holiness that is in Christ Jesus. I’m a part of his body and my Father sees me as holy — because I am in Christ!”

God the Father enthroned Christ as king over all nations and all nature, and as Lord over the church. It doesn’t matter what things look like on the outside. Everything may seem out of control and look like the devil has taken power, but the truth is, God has put all things under Jesus’ feet.

All around us today, we see our society and government dethroning Christ — refusing to acknowledge his authority and kingship. God is being removed from our schools and courts and is being ignored in making our laws. The problem of Christ’s dethroning is much worse than America’s rejection of Jesus’ authority because it also is happening in his church!

You may say, “I want Jesus to be king of my life. I want to do everything he commands.” God says, “If you want to know abundant life — true, full life — then submit yourself to me and I’ll give you life without fear, guilt or condemnation.”

Those who submit to Christ’s lordship will walk in peace. Submitted Christians don’t live in fear, turmoil or anxiety. They’re clothed in peace: “Grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear …to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:74 and 79).

What a wonderful promise! If we yield our lives to him, he will shine his light into our darkness, remove the shadow of death, and guide us into peace and rest. He essentially says, “I’ll clear up all the confusion in your life and you’ll be able to walk in peace.”

Psalm 121 sums up the attitude we are to have: “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved … the Lord shall preserve you from all evil” (Psalm 121:1-3, 7).

Put Christ on the throne of you heart today — and live!

God is behind every glorious work and he will not share his glory. He needs clean vessels to do his work. At the very peak moment when his blessings and power are flowing freely through his people, he tells them, “Pause now and put everything on hold because I want to examine your heart.”

Our God wants to do mighty things through us, so if we’re clinging to something that gets in the way of his accomplishing that, he points it out to us. It may be some willfulness or a refusal to trust him for everything. God sometimes wants to add something to our lives before he brings his best. The Lord had made this promise to Joshua: “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses” (Joshua 1:3).

Joshua and his men performed mighty exploits, defeating their enemies, inheriting great lands, and seeing victory as never before. However, something happened during this time of great victory that had to be dealt with. “But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it” (Joshua 6:18). The Israelites were not to take any spoils from the enemies they defeated because the Lord wanted their eyes fixed on things above, not on material goods.

One man, Achan, disobeyed and took some things for himself, and although it wasn’t much— just a pretty coat and a handful of silver and gold—this could have held back God’s best. He confessed, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel” (7:20). It was just a small thing but God revealed it and redeemed the situation.

What is God putting his finger on in your life? Have you been negligent in some area? Don’t delay in your response to the Spirit’s faithful voice. One small thing can determine your whole future and God wants to give you his very best. 

Moses met with God, often in dramatic fashion; the Word tells us that “the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush’” (Exodus 3:2). At that time God called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt and he had to upend his life to follow the leading of the Lord. “So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, ‘Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt’ … And Jethro said to Moses, ‘Go in peace’” (Exodus 4:18-19). After Moses decided to obey God, he submitted to the leadership of Jethro, which is a significant principle to understand.

When we do the right thing in the right order, God says, “I’ve prepared the way and I’ll give you the directions for what’s going to take place next.” This is very important as we look at Moses’ life and ministry. He went back to Egypt and, as we know, was met with strong opposition in getting the children of Israel out of Egypt. Pharaoh was increasingly oppressive and the situation was seemingly hopeless (read the account in Exodus 5).

Even though God had done many great miracles for the Israelites, he didn’t seem to be working on their behalf at that point. Moses had done everything right and the Israelites were working as hard as they could, but God seemed silent. As we look at this story, we know that God was there all the time with Moses and the Israelites — and eventually they were delivered from Egypt into marvelous victory.

Perhaps you have heard from God, you’ve submitted to leadership, said whatever God wanted you to say, and gone where God wanted you to go. But it seems as though everything is going wrong and God is against you — but is he? No! Actually, he is just teaching you — to lead you into a place of promise. When Jesus felt furthest from God, he cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). But at that moment he was in the center of God’s will doing the work of redemption for all humanity!

Be encouraged if you’re going through a difficult season: “Know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).  

^{Pastor Tim pastored an inner-city congregation in Detroit for thirty years before serving at Brooklyn Tabernacle in NYC for five years. He and his wife Cindy presently pastor in Lafayette, Louisiana.}

Some believers harbor resentment toward God, which can be very dangerous. Sadly, a growing number of ministers are becoming increasingly disillusioned, burned out, even angry with God, and are walking away from their calling. While this is hard to understand, many of them reason, “I was diligent, faithful — I gave it my best — but the harder I worked, the fewer results I saw. My congregation was not appreciative and all my prayers seemed in vain. Now I'm taking a step back so I can try to figure things out.”

The Bible gives us an example of a missionary who grew disheartened when things didn’t go as planned. “The word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Ninevah, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you” (Jonah 3:2). He had disobeyed this command once before with dire consequences (remember the story of Jonah and the whale?) but this time he obeyed and preached the message God had given him.

Jonah expected the city to be destroyed and so he waited for it — but nothing happened! Why? Because God had mercy and changed his mind: “God saw their works … and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them” (3:10). In other words, the people of Ninevah repented and God showed them mercy and grace.

Jonah was grieved and disappointed because things hadn’t gone as planned. Also, his pride was wounded and this wounded spirit eventually devolved into rage.

God understands our pain and confusion; after all, our cry is a human one. Remember, the Lord has only good things in mind for you and he will heal you of all bitterness as you seek his face. Truly “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Hallelujah!